1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a valve arrangement for sterilizer containers, more particularly, to a valve arrangement for a sterilization container which operates without the need for manual action, and while being of simple and cost-favorable construction, assures the desired valve function, not only at a single sterilization temperature, but at different temperatures, and closes only at a predetermined point during the venting phase.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Snap discs are preferably employed as temperature sensors. These snap discs consist of a thermobimetal material and are sold under the trademark "CLICKFLEX". They are characterized by the fact that at a predetermined temperature, they snap into their opposite state of curvature, and upon cooling through a hysteresis, snap back at a low switch temperature. The snap discs have proven particularly suitable since they can be adjusted very precisely during manufacture to an upper snap temperature and a lower snap temperature and have the advantage that they can switch very rapidly and with a relatively large stroke, which can be further increased by the connection of several discs in series. Another advantage of snap discs is that the structural height of the valve arrangement can be kept very low and the entire construction thereby becomes simple and cheap.